University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Men's Hoops Begins Road Trip at Middle Tennessee
2/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss begins a two-game road trip this Thursday, February 5, when it travels to Murfreesboro, Tenn., to face Middle Tennessee. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT.
Southern Miss and Middle Tennessee will meet for the second time this year and just the fifth time overall. The Blue Raiders hold a 3-1 record overall and won the last two. Earlier this year, Middle Tennessee defeated Southern Miss in Hattiesburg, 62-61. Southern Miss is looking for its first victory in Murfreesboro, as MTSU has won the previous two meetings. Middle Tennessee is 2-0 in Conference USA games.
Southern Miss enters tonight's game with a 6-14 record, including 1-8 in Conference USA. The Black and Gold have dropped 11 of its last 12 after falling to Western Kentucky last Saturday, 73-62.
Guard Chip Armelin is tied for 10th in Conference USA with 14.5 points. He is also fourth in the league in minutes played (33.8) and tenth in three-pointers made (1.9). Forward Matt Bingaya is second on the team with 13.8 points while also pulling down a team-high 5.5 rebounds. Forward Norville Carey is averaging 10.7 points and 5.3 rebounds. He is fifth in the league in field goal percentage, hitting 58.3% from the floor.
The Golden Eagles are scoring just 60.8 points a game but are allowing 68.9. Southern Miss is connecting on 43.9% from the floor and 34.6% from three while allowing 46.8% from the field and 38.0% from beyond the arc. The Black and Gold is also being outrebounded, 33.0-to-29.0.
Southern Miss head coach Doc Sadler is in his first season at the helm of the Southern Miss men's basketball program. He has compiled a 155-121 (.562) record in nine years as a head coach.
Middle Tennessee enters tonight's game with a 12-10 record and is 5-4 in Conference USA. The Blue Raiders have lost two straight after falling at UTEP, 83-70.
Forward Reggie Upshaw is averaging 9.7 points per game and 6.3 rebounds, which both lead the team. Forward Jacquez Rozier is scoring 8.5 points and is connecting on 52.0% from the floor.
Middle Tennessee is averaging just 62.0 points per game while allowing 61.9, which is second in C-USA. The Blue Raiders are connecting on just 40.8% from the floor and 34.2% from three, while allowing 43.8% from the field and 36.2% from beyond the arc. Middle Tennessee is pulling down 33.8 rebounds per game, while leading Conference USA in rebounding defense (30.5).
